Revenge
by likeacliche
Summary: "She was the one who haunted their dreams."


The moon was full and yet the world remained dark. Instead of chasing away the monsters, the light of the moon lured them out. The stars flickered, almost blinked at her like watching eyes. Or so it seemed to the little girl as she found herself wandering up the mountainside. She was unable to control her own movements and the tears streamed down her face as her body led her to what she was sure would be certain death. The fear within her was so great it amazed her that she did not tremble despite being unable to move of her own will.

Mommy. The word remained unspoken; her mouth clamped shut as if some unseen hand were holding it that way. There was a laugh that the cool air carried up from behind her. It clawed at her ears and her skin prickled. There was no kindness in the sound.

She found that while her mouth was immobile, her eyes were not. She closed them and wished with all her might that this would be a dream. Soon she would wake to her mother calling up to her, telling her that her breakfast was getting cold.

Her small toes stubbed against a rock. An ache ran up her leg. This was no dream.

Please, please let the sun rise.

...

The old woman stood among the blooming fire lilies. She gazed around her at the vibrant color and sighed. They were beautiful, the most beautiful thing in the Fire Nation. After that day they would not bloom again until one year's time. It was a pity, the woman thought, to hide such beauty from the world all but that once a year.

Another part of her spoke, stronger than the last. The Fire Nation did not deserve that beauty. It was good the beauty was hidden. She came here year after year and used her bending to suck the flowers dry of one thing that they needed to grow and bloom. In doing this she further helped to shelter such lovely things from Fire Nation eyes.

She let her mind wander back to her childhood, allowed herself to think of her home in the Southern Water Tribe. How she missed it and how she resented the Fire Nation for taking her from it. She remembered how the sun would gleam brightly off the snow and how the moon would make the ground look like diamonds had been strewn across it.

Lowering her frail body, she sat down on the damp ground and arranged her skirt neatly around her. Her fingers clutched her betrothal necklace and she thought of the young warrior who had made it for her. What had become of him and the rest of the tribe?

The Fire Nation had taken everything from her. She had no pity for them; she strove to see their downfall.

With each full moon she felt a burning joy in her chest as she sent the helpless people up the mountainside. Sometimes she would walk ahead of them just so she could see the terror in their eyes as the forest grew darker around them. She would hold their mouths shut until they reached their destination. Then she would let them scream.

And how she would smile.

All around the village she was spoken of in fear and yet she walked among them unhindered. They had no idea that she was the horror they spoke of in ghost stories and even just warnings being passed on to weary travelers who stopped there for rest and provisions. She was the one who haunted their dreams.

"Hama," she whispered. "My name is Hama. I am from the Southern Water Tribe."

Once in a while she would speak her name aloud. She worried that if she didn't she would forget it.

She raised her hand and watched several fire lilies shrivel and die as the water was pulled from them. She let the water float above her hand for a moment before letting it rain down onto the earth.

Just as the fire lilies had died, so would this village. And it would all be by her hand.

...

Hama kept to the shadows as she led the little girl up the mountain. The cave wasn't far now. She would reveal herself there.

The child's fear seemed to radiate from her small form and Hama relished in it. It sent delicious shivers down her spine.

"Fear me, child," she breathed. And then she laughed, letting the sound carry up to the little girl's ears.

Just ahead now she could see the cave. The little girl stubbed her toes against a rock, but Hama didn't let her stop. She led the little girl deep into the cave and chained her to the wall. No one would hear her cry.

Hama made her way back out into the fresh air, the girl's crying, begging to be set free, having faded long before she reached the entrance. She looked back at the cave once, and then turned to the East, a smile on her face.

The sun was rising.


End file.
